Nigerian Lawmakers tells the Nigeria Police to Forgive Nasarawa Militia That Killed Over 30 Police Officers in an Ambush?
Lawmakers say a team will reach out to the spouses of the slain personnel.
The
House of Representatives issued a surprising plea to police authorities
Thursday, urging the force to let go of any plan to retaliate against
the killing of more than 30 of its personnel by a suspected cult group
in Nasarawa State.
Lawmakers condemned the
shocking attack on the personnel who were ambushed on a mission to
dislodge the group, but urged restraint and pledged to institute a team
to reach out to the spouses of the slain officers.
Wives
of policemen took to the streets on Thursday to protest the murder,
barricading the Akwanga-Lafia Federal Highway in Nasarawa State.
Raising
the matter for urgent consideration, the lawmaker representing the area
in the House, Kigbu Haruna (PDP), said that within six months, the
state has lost many people as a result of similar clashes.
Mr.
Haruna urged the Federal and Nasarawa State governments to dialogue
with the group involved in the killings instead of retaliating.
“We
cannot condone it anymore as the crisis if not checked will stretch to
the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,” Mr. Haruna warned.
Lawmakers
delivered stern condemnation of the killings, many questioning whether
it was now approved for Nigerian citizens to bear arms.
Ahmed
Idris (ACN, Plateau) called for immediate action to be taken by the
Federal Government to stop the killings in not just Nasarawa state but
Nigeria at large.
There are claims as many as 90
security officials – far more than the figure officially released by the
police- may have been killed in the attack. Reports say some of those
killed belonged to the State Security Service and the Civil Defence
Corp.
The Police Commissioner in the state,
Abayomi Akeremale, on Thursday told journalists that the bodies of 30
officers had been recovered while some were missing. Nine police patrol
vehicles were also burnt, he said, adding that investigation was on and
no arrests had been made.
“We believe that members
of the group are still in the bush around the area and we would do all
we can to smoke them out,” the commissioner of police told the News
Agency of Nigeria.
One of the dead is said to be
an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Momoh. Police did not
confirm that but said he was missing.
The
Directorate of State Security also said it has deployed a search and
rescue team to determine fatalities of its operatives involved in the
operation.
